Confused If I have Tendonitis or Carpel Tunnel

by Janelle
(Oz)

Hi,Years ago I used to get pain in my wrist and hand due to over use continual hair cutting and the docs told me I could have carpel tunnel, after I gave up that profession it seemed to relieve it, that was around 15 years ago, came back again when I was pregnant with numbness in my fingers when I woke in the mornings.

Now over this last weekend I did some boxing on both days, (I have been doing boxing for 3 months)

On Monday when I woke up my wrist was sore, I went to work, I work in childcare, and when I went to lift one of the children my wrist just shot a pain and gave way on me. I lift them with both hands under the arms in the normal way. This has been happening for the last 2 days, went to the doc earlier today he said Tendonitis.

These are my symptoms:My left wristMy hand was very swollen this morning when I woke.

I can move my wrist etc okay except when trying to twist it sideways to the left, I get pain when lifting everything and my wrist gives way on meI get a shooting pain go through my hand on the top between my first and index finger, and also pain on the pinky ring side of my arm at my wrist (not my finger) this is where i get a lump appear. And my wrist is sore in this area.

If i turn my hand over so the palm is to the roof the lump is on the inside about a pinky finger thickness from my wrist joint, (hope that makes sense)

My hand feels a little fuzzy on the top where the pain shoots through.

I can't carry a plate in this hand, I cant open a milk bottle top in this hand, I cant carry a cup of tea in this hand, etc as I get the pain shoot through and I have no strength it just gives way.

During previous boxing rounds (with focus pads) my wrist has been tender and my thumb goes a little numb and very sore in the first knuckle joint.

Just wondering what your thoughts would be, hope I have given you enough info.

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Joshua Answers:

Hi Janelle. Yep, that's a good start, info wise.

I have some thoughts but let me get a little more info.

1. How much swelling? Where? How much area does it cover?

2. That lump. Does it come and go, or is it constant. And it showed up after you lifted the kid, yes? Or it's been there a long time?

3. Is the lump -on- the tendon? Meaning part of it? Or is it floating around? (Or, do you mean 'swelling' when you say lump?

4. Describe what you mean when you say 'it gives way'. Do you mean it hurts so bad you have to stop, or do you mean it literally gives way, as if it breaks or goes totally limp?

Comments for Confused If I have Tendonitis or Carpel Tunnel

PART 2 - reply to Confused If I have Tendonitis or Carpel Tunnelby: Janelle

Hi Joshua,

1. The swelling happened like 2 days later my whole hand and fingers were swallen but mainly on the top of my hand. then it went the next day, very weird

2. The lump it does come and go and yes after I lift things and is sore to touch, when My hand is good its not really there.

3. not sure if it is on the tendon, and dont think it floats around, it is normal when I dont have the sore hand and comes back when it is sore.

4. its like when I go to lift a plate it hurts really bad and also sometimes I end up throwing the plate dont like it slips out of my hand and i cant hold it. and as for like opening a bottle it just hurts a shoots pain, it seems like it is only certain postitions that it does this.

I hope this helps.

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Joshua Comments:

Hi Janelle, that does help.

It sounds like the lump is a swelling that comes and goes, as opposed to a nodule of scar tissue on the tendon.

It's possible that you got a little rip or tear and that is setting off a huge inflammation response.

It's also possible that you tweaked a pre-existing tightness/pain dynamic that has been progressing and was just waiting for the right method to go crazy.

Which means that you may not have injured anything, necessarily, but you now have an Inflammation Response that is ON FIRE.

There's no real way to tell right now, really, and the first stage treatment is the same.

Do that as many dips as you possibly can per day, for 7 days. Then when the overall swelling and inflammation is down, we can look to see if there is any specific hot spot of injury.

And then, the Ice Massage!

Chances are that you're fine except for an acute inflammatory process that is cutting of return circulation (swelling) and releasing chemicals that enhance your sensitivity to pain (which will keep your nervous system from letting you hold a plate, or anything else up, because it thinks you're going to rip apart if you do, so it let's go.